High-profile dissident Colin Duffy was allegedly targeted in a MI5 sting operation staged in Spain, a court has heard.

An agent claimed he posed as a businessman with links to the criminal underworld in a bid to secretly record any discussions about arms dealing.

Another operative is said to have played his girlfriend during the assignment aimed at securing an encounter with Duffy in Majorca.

Details emerged at a hearing at Belfast Magistrates’ Court, to decide if the 48-year-old is to stand trial on a series of terror-related charges.

Duffy is accused of directing and belonging to an IRA grouping and attempting to murder PSNI officers.

He faces further counts of possessing firearms and ammunition, and conspiring with Alex McCrory and Henry Fitzsimons to murder security force members.

The alleged offences are connected to an attack on police in Belfast.

Lawyers for Duffy, formerly of Forst Glade in Lurgan, Co Armagh, 54-year-old McCrory, from Sliabh Dubh View in Belfast, and 47-year-old Fitzsimons, of no fixed address, are challenging the strength of the evidence against them. Duffy’s legal team have not accepted he ever met the agent.